Top delivery,first-in first-out,article dispensing and vending apparatus



United States Patent [72] inventors Kermit W. Dyer Overland Park, Kansas; LeRoy D. Gore, Independence; Arvil L. Laird, Kansas City, Missouri [21] AppLNo. 730,239

[22] Filed May 20, 1968 [45] Patented Nov. 24, 1970 [73] Assignee The Vendo Company Kansas City, Missouri a corporation of Missouri [54] TOP DELIVERY, FIRST-IN FIRST-OUT, ARTICLE DISPENSING AND VENDING APPARATUS {56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,282,466 11/1966 Meresz et al i.

Primary Examiner--Stanley H. Tollberg Attorney-Schmidt, Johnson, Hovey, Williams & Chase ABSTRACT: Top delivery selective dispensing or vending apparatus is housed within a cabinet provided with a window through which the consumer may visually select a desired article. The articles seen by the consumer are at the top of respective dispensing columns and comprise the next articles to be dispensed from such columns. First-in, first'out stock rotation is made possible by bottom loading of the columns which is facilitated by suspending the columns for movement to horizontal dispositions during loading for easy access to the bottoms thereof. A spring-biased elevator supports each stack of articles within the respective column and is provided with a resilient article support which is snapped past a freshly inserted stack of articles and repositioned therebeneath.

A common drive for the article ejecting delivery structures of the columns includes a vend solenoid and a vend spring which cooperate to effect oscillation of a common shaft upon which the various delivery structures are rotatably mounted. Drive arms rigid with the shaft are selectively coupled to respective structures by selector solenoids carried by the latter and energized in response to consumer selection.

llimio Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Sheet 3 013 INVENTORS Dyar Another important object of the invention is to provide article dispensing and vending apparatus having both top display and top delivery from the columns thereof in order that the consumer may see the next to be dispensed articles displayed at a convenient viewing height, and further in order to permit the mixing of products in a given column if desired in accordance with marketing considerations.

In conjunction with the foregoing object, it is a further aim of this invention to provide the advantage of a visual sold-out indication of a depleted column.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide top delivery article dispensing and vending apparatus as aforesaid which does not rely upon manual actuation of article ejection mechanism but effects this function by electrically operated means, yet with relative simplicity and without the expense attendant to the use of vend motors in apparatus of this type.

Additionally, it is an important object of this invention to provide apparatus as aforesaid which is easy to service and is especially adaptable to the dispensing or vending'of packages of chewing gum and mints.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a front elevational view showing the cabinet ofthe apparatus ofthe instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 ofFlG. I; I

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged, top plan view of the apparatus with the cabinet removed;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of the dispensing apparatus on the same scale as FIG. 3 and showing a column loaded with packages ofgum;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, rear elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5 and showing the apparatus in standby;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 3 and shows a column loaded with packages of mints, the apparatus being in standby;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 3 and illustrates the operation of the delivery control structure of a column from which packages of gum are dispensed;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of one of the columns looking downwardly;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view of one ofthe columns illustrating the loading thereof;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged, horizontal sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 12 is an electrical schematic diagram of a simplified exemplary control circuit.

Referring to FIG. 1, a cabinet 20 is shown having a front I panel or door 22 hinged at 24 and provided with a window 26 extending horizontally across a substantial portion of the door adjacent the top thereof. A coin slot is illustrated at 28 and delivery chute 30 within cabinet 20 may be seen in broken lines. The bottom end of the delivery chute 30 projects through door 22 and presents a customer-access station 32 for products dispensed from the various columns of the apparatus.

It will be appreciated as this description proceeds that the top article of each dispensing column is visible through the window 26, five columns being assumed for purposes of illustration. Vending from each column is under the control of a push button operated selector switch 34, the push buttons of the five selector switches being visible in FIG. I and arranged in a row beneath window 26 adjacent the corresponding column.

The apparatus within cabinet 20 is illustrated in FIGS. 2- ll. Each of the dispensing columns is broadly denoted 36 and is of the same construction, the five columns 36 being secured together by a top frame member 38 and a bottom frame member 40 to form a unitary magazine. A channelshaped crossmember 42 spans the columns 36 and is secured to the front thereof adjacent the top 44 of each column 36. A pair of upstanding suspension brackets 46 are rigidly secured to respective upper corners of the magazine assembly and pivotally suspend the latter on a common support member 48 in the form of a rotatable shaft spanning a pair of spaced, opposed, stationary side frame members 50 and 52. The end portions of shaft 48 are journaled in side frame members 50 and 52, the right end of shaft 48, as viewed in FIG. 3, having a pul ley 54 rigidly mounted thereon.

The cross-sectional configuration of each column 36 is clearly shown in FIG. 9, where it may be seen that each column 36 comprises a pair of opposed, irregularly-shaped sidewalls 56 that define a normally upright compartment in which articles are disposed in a stack. A package of gum G is illustrated in FIG. 9 captured within the product compartment.

The two sidewalls 56 of each column 36 are provided with rearwardly projecting flange portions 58, each of the latter having an elongated, longitudinally extending, normally upright slot 60 therein as best seen in FIG. 6. The two slots 60 of each column 36 are alined with each other to define a track for an elevator 62 which supports the stack of articles in the column and biases such articles upwardly toward the top 44 thereof. Each elevator 62 includes a carrier 64 which mounts a pair of vertically spaced axles 66, each of the latter having a pair of rollers 68 on respective ends thereof received by corresponding slots 60. A bobbin 70 is rotatably mounted on carrier 64 and has a flat spring 72 wound therearound and extending upwardly therefrom the upper, terminal end of spring 72 being secured to the top frame member 38 by a suitable fastener 74.

An article support generally designated 76 extends from the front of the carrier 64 of each elevator 62 and comprises a leaf spring member 78 formed to present an article-receiving platform 80. The lower end of the spring member 78 is rigid with carrier 64 while the upper end portion thereof is free to permit movement of the support 76 between the positions thereof illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 10. A downturned lip 82 on the inner edge of platform serves as a catch to preclude outward movement of the support 76 past the articlesupporting position thereof shown in FIG. 6.

The top of each column 36 presents an article delivery station 84, delivery control structure broadly denoted 86 being disposed at the delivery station 84 of each of the columns 36 respectively. The five control structures 86 for the five columns 36 are rotatably mounted on shaft 48 and spaced therealong as is clean in FIG. 3, the shaft 48 being horizontally disposed above each of the delivery stations 84 to provide a common operating shaft for the control structures 86, as will become clear hereinafter.

Each of the control structures 86 has a sleeve portion 88 rotatable on shaft 48 and a pair of longitudinally spaced, article-engaging elements 90 rigid with sleeve portion 88 and depending therefrom. The pair of elements 90 of each control structure 86 have both an article-retaining and an article-ejection function, a pair of supplemental retaining fingers 92 being integrally formed with respective elements 90 and spaced forwardly therefrom to define a pair of alined rectangularly shaped article-receiving slots 94. A mounting plate 96 is integral with sleeve portion 88 and depends therefrom behind elements 90 to support an electrically responsive device in the form of a selection solenoid 98.

Each of the selection solenoids 98 has an armature component 100, the right end thereof (as viewed in FIG. 3) being movable to and from a position in the path of travel of a corresponding rearwardly and downwardly extending drive arm 102 rigid with a collar or hub 104 fixed to shaft 48. Asis clear in FIG. 3, the sleeve portion 88 of each control structure 86 is disposed between a respective hub 104 and a retaining collar 106 fixed to shaft 48.

A disc-shaped part 108 is fixed to the left end of the armature component 100 (as viewed in FIG. 3) of each ofthe selection solenoids 98 and is biased to the left by the operating arm 110 of a switch 112 mounted just above the respective solenoid 98. Leftward movement of each armature component 100 is limited by a stop bracket 114, the armature part 108 of the left-hand selection solenoid 98 in FIG. 3 being illustrated against the bracket 114. The right-hand solenoid 98 in FIG. 3 is shown energized; note that the associated operating arm 110 is actuated to operate the respective switch 112.

Each of the drive arms 102 is provided with a return tab 116 which projects laterally therefrom and is disposed for engagement with the mounting plate 96 of the adjacent control structure 86. When the mechanism is in standby, each of the tabs 116 is in generally overlying relationship to the proximal edge portion of the adjacent plate 96. A pair of Z-shaped elements present stops 118 normally spaced above the uppermost article in each column 36 and are attached to the upper frame member 38.

Drive for the common shaft 48 is provided by a vend solenoid 120 and a vend spring 122 operably connected to opposite ends of a cable 124 trained around and effecting a nonslip connection with the pulley 54. The vend solenoid 120 is mounted on a bracket 126 rigid with and forming a part of the right-hand suspension bracket 46 (as viewed in FIG. 3) of the magazine assembly. The cable 124 depends from the pulley 54, the front stretch thereof being joined at its lower end to the armature 128 ofthe vend solenoid 120. The rear stretch of the cable 125 has its lower end joined to the spring 122, the latter being attached to the bracket 126 adjacent the solenoid 120. The broken lines in FIG. 2 illustrate the position to which the magazine assembly is swung to facilitate restocking of the columns 36. It should be noted that the two suspension brackets 46 pivotally mount the magazine assembly on shaft 48 for movement of the entire assembly, including the vend solenoid 120 and vend spring 122 between the normal, operative position thereof and the horizontally disposed loading position shown by the broken lines. Each of the columns 36 has an open bottom 130 adjacent the bottom frame member 40 which, upon movement of the held assembly to the loading position, is disposed at a convenient height for insertion of articles into each column from the bottom thereof to restock the column in a manner to be subsequently discussed.

The magazine assembly is held in the loading position by a catch 132 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 11. The catch 132 is mounted on side frame member 52 by a pivot 134 and has a depending leg 132a which underlies a leaf spring 136. The nose of the catch 132 is V-shaped and is receivable within a complemental notch in a lug 138 carried by the lower end ofa brace or strut 140 of transversely channel-shaped configuration. I

The upper end ofthe strut 140 is pivotally secured at 141 to the adjacent end column sidewall 56 of the magazine assembly, the strut 140 being disposed on the inside of the side frame member 52 while the notched lug 138 is disposed on the outside thereof, the interconnection between the lower end of the strut 140 and the notched lug 138 being through an upright slot 142 in the side frame member 52. A stop 144 projects from side frame member 52 and limits rotation of the catch 132 in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2. It is to be understood that a second strut 140 and associated catch mechanism (not shown) identical to thatjust described would normally be utilized at the opposite side of the magazine assembly to provide a positive and steady support for the magazine during loading thereof.

When the magazine assembly is in its normal, operative position, it may be appreciated that the window 26 is approximately at the horizontal level of the uppermost article in each of the columns 36. This permits ready viewing of the articles to be next dispensed and, additionally, provides a visual soldout indication of a depleted column or columns. Since the customer sees the article he is about to purchase, the articles in certain of the columns may be mixed (such as different flavors of mints, for example) if desired in accordance with merchandising requirements. Complete exposure of the uppermost article is assured by the provision of a frontal opening 146 at the top of each column 36 defined by the crossmember 42 and the inner edges of the inturned lip portions of the product compartment defining sidewalls 56 of the column Note that in the dispensing of cylindrical packages of mints M (FIG. 7) the greater exposure provided by the frontal opening 146 permits the customer to view substantially the entire package for ready identification thereof.

A simplified exemplary control circuit for the apparatus is shown in FIG. 12 where three selector switches 34 and three selection solenoids 98 are illustrated. Manifestly, the circuit may be expanded depending upon the number of columns actually in the machine. Prime and double prime notations are employed to distinguish the control components of each individual column. A normally open credit switch 148 is operated by conventional coin credit controlled mechanism 150. Available electrical power such as a 60 cycle a.c. supply is connected to power terminals 152 and 154 of the circuitry.

OPERATION Assuming that the columns 36 are loaded with articles, vending from a particular column 36 is effected as best illustrated in FIG. 8. A stack of packages of gum G is disposed within the column .36 there illustrated, the standby positions of the delivery control structures 86 being shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 where columns 36 vending gum and mints, respectively, are illustrated. It should be noted that, in standby, the pair of elements of each control structure 86 overlies the uppermost article of the respective stack to retain the same within the column. In each ofthe columns 36 the stack of articles therein is biased upwardly against the retaining elements 90 by the action of spring 72 as transmitted to the stack by the supporting platform 80 of the elevator 62.

If a customer has deposited proper coinage in the machine, the credit switch 148 is closed and a selection may be made. The customer views the various articles through the window 26 as discussed previously and actuates the push button switch 34 corresponding to the desired article. Referring to FIG. 12, it may be seen that the actuation of any one of the selector switches 34, 34 or 34" there illustrated effects energization of the corresponding selection solenoid 98, 98 or 98". Assuming, for example, that the solenoid 98 in FIG. 12 is energized, this effects closure of its associated switch 112 to, in turn, energize the vend solenoid 120.

In FIG. 3, the manner by which a particular switch 112 is closed is illustrated by comparison of the left-hand switch 112 (which is in standby and the right-hand switch 112 which is operated by actuation .of its operating arm by the rightward movement of the armature part 108 of the associated selection solenoid 98. Energization of the selection solenoid 98 of a selected 3 column 36 is only momentary since, upon release of the selector switch 34, the operating arm 110 for the switch 112 returns the armature component 100 of the solenoid 98 to its standby position. However, the brief time interval that armature component 100 is extended to the right is sufficient to effect the vending operation as follows.

With the solenoid armature component 100 shifted to the right as illustrated for the gum column 36 of FIG. 3, energization of the vend solenoid will cause the delivery structure 86 to which the energized solenoid 98 is mounted to rotate with shaft 48. This is accomplished since energization of vend solenoid 120 causes the shaft 48 to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 7 and 8 to, in turn, swing the various drive arms 102 through an angular displacement. Since the armature component I00 of the energized selector solenoid 98 is extended into the path of travel of the adjacent drive arm 102, the latter and the mentioned armature component 100 are interlocked for rotation of the respective delivery structure-86 in unison with the common shaft 48.

The coupling of one of the drive arms 102 with the armature component 100 of the energized selection solenoid 98 just described causes the retaining element 90 to be withdrawn from above the stack of articles in the respective column 36,

as best illustrated in FIG. 8 by the full-line representation of the control structure 86. This withdrawal of the retaining element 90 permits the stack of articles to move upwardly until the uppermost article of the stack engages the pair of stops 118. During withdrawal of retaining element 90 the vend' spring 122 is loaded (placed in tension and, so long as the customer maintains the selector switch 34 in actuated condition, the spring 122 is held in tension by the energized vend solenoid 120.

Upon deenergization of vend solenoid 120 by release of the selector switch push button, the preloaded vend spring 122 is free to rotate pulley 54 in the opposite direction to, in turn, return shaft 48 to its standby position. This swings the drive arms counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 8 and the previously shifted delivery structure'86. is carried by the respective drive arm 102 since the return tab 116 thereof bears against the delivery structure 86 to move the same back to its standby position with the drive arm 102. The element 90 now executes an ejection function and pushes the uppermost article from between the stops 118and the next to the uppermost article,

thereby causing the uppermost article to be ejected over the top 44 of the column 36 and into the delivery chute 30. Note that, priorto ejection, the uppermost article is positively held within the receiving slot 94 by the two supplemental retaining fingers 92. Also, it is noteworthy that the height of the slot 94 permits articles of various sizes to be handled, it being only required that the stops 118 have an elevation appropriate to the size of the articles. For example, as is apparent from a comparison of FIGS. 7 and 8, the spacing of stop 118 above the top 44 of column 36 in FIG. 7 is greater than in FIG. 8 due to the larger vertical dimension of the mint packages.

When it is desired to restock the machine, the door 22 is opened and the magazine assembly is swung to the horizontal, loading position thereof as described hereinabove and illustrated in FIG. 2. As the notched lug 138 rises in the slot 142 to the top thereof, the catch 132 is forced to shift in a counterclockwise direction (limited by stop 144) as viewed in FIG. 2 into ultimate locking alinement with the notch in-lug 138 as depicted by the broken line illustrations.

Restocking of a depleted or partially depleted column 36 is best illustrated in FIG. 10. A fresh stack of articles is introduced into the product compartment of column 36 through the open bottom I30 thereof and is advanced toward the support 76 that projects into the produce compartment. The new stack of articles is pushed up to, but not past, the leaf spring member 78. When the desired number of articles has been in serted, the elevator 62 is pulled toward the bottom 130 of the column 36, whereupon the spring member 78 flattens against the carrier 64 to permit the elevator 62 to snap past the inserted stack to a position therebeneath where the article-supporting platform 80 returns to the normal position thereof shown in FIG. 6 under the return bias action of the leaf spring member 78. The elevator 62 may now be released to complete the restocking operation. To facilitate manipulation of the elevator 62, the latter is provided with a rearwardly projecting finger tab 156, the arrows in FIG. 10 illustrating that manual pressure is applied to the tab 156 to shift the elevator 62 to the right in opposition to the direction of insertion of the fresh stack of gum packages G.

The magazine assembly is returned to its normal, operative disposition by raising the assembly to lift the notch of lug 138 above the V-shaped nose of catch 132 to release the latter (and the catch 132 which would be provided at the other side of the apparatus but which is not illustrated herein), and then lowering the assembly into position. The leaf spring 136 per mits the catch 132 to be forced in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2 by the downwardly moving notched lug 138,

whereupon the spring 136 returns the catch 132 to the fullline position thereof illustrated after the lug 138 shifts into clearing relationship to the catch 132.

We claim:

1. In top delivery article dispensing apparatus:

a column for receiving a stack of articles to be dispensed and having a top presenting a station for successive delivery of the articles from said stack thereof;

a support for said stack of articles normally disposed in said column in underlying relationship to said stack and shifta ble along a path of travel within the column extending toward and away from the top of the column; and

yieldable means coupled with said support and biasing the latter toward the top of the column to dispose the uppermost article of said stack at said station:

said support being movable between the normal disposition thereof underlying said stack and an article-loading position clearing said stack, whereby to permit bottom loading of said column for first-in, first-out stock rotation,

said support being provided with yieldable structure biasing the support toward said normal disposition thereof,

said structure mounting said support for movement transversely of said path between said normal position disposition and said article-loading position, and

said support being movable out of said path from said normal disposition to said article-loading position against the action of said structure in response to engagement of the support with a bottom-loaded stack of articles as the support is shifted toward the bottom of the column.

2. In apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and a reciprocable carrier adjacent said column movable in parallelism thereto,

said support comprising an article-supporting platform and a resilient member presenting said structure and attaching the platform to the carrier.

3. In apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said member being disposed for said engagement with the bottom-loaded stack for movement of both the member and the platform out of blocking relationship to the bottom-loaded stack upon application of force to the member as the support is shifted toward the bottom of the column to reposition the platform beneath the loaded stack.

4.'ln top delivery article dispensing apparatus:

a column for receiving a stack of articles to be dispensed and having a top presenting a station for successive delivery of the articles from said stack thereof;

a support for said stack of articles normally disposed in said column in underlying relationship to said stack and shifta- .ble along a path of travel within the column extending toward and away from the top of the column; and

yieldable means coupled with said support and biasing the latter toward the top of the column to dispose the uppermost article of said stack at said station, said support being movable between the normal disposition thereof underlying said stack and an article-loading position clearing said stack, whereby to permit bottom loading of said column for first-in, first-out stock rotation; and

said support being provided with means mounting the support for movement from said normal disposition to said article-loading position in response to engagement of the support with a bottom-loaded stack of articles as the support is shifted toward the bottom of the column to reposition the support beneath the loaded stack.

5. In apparatus as claimed in claim 4, and means mounting said column for movement to and from a generally horizontal disposition where the bottom of the column is raised to a level facilitating said bottom loading thereof.

6. In top delivery, selective article dispensing apparatus:

a plurality of dispensing columns, each adapted to receive a Y stack of articles to be dispensed and having a top presenting an article delivery station; an elevator in each of said columns respectively for supporting the stack of articles therein and biasing the latter upwardly toward the top of the column to dispose the uppermost article of the stack at the respective delivery station; a shiftable delivery control structure at the delivery station of each column respectively and operable to eject the uppermost article thereof from the station; a shiftable member common to all of said structures; and means for selectively coupling any one of said structures with said member to operate the selected structure and eject the uppermost article of the selected column upon actuation of said member: said plurality of columns being arranged in a row, said member including a rotatable shaft extending along said row of columns adjacent the delivery stations thereof,

said structures being rotatably mounted on said shaft, and

said selective coupling means including an electrically responsive device carried by each of said structures respectively, and consumer actuatable selector switch means coupled'with said devices for selectively operating the latter, each of said devices having means for establishing a drive connection between the respective structures and said shaft upon operation of the device.

7. in top delivery, selective article dispensing apparatus:

a plurality of dispensing columns, each adapted to receive a stack of articles to be dispensed and having a top presenting an article delivery station;

an elevator in each of said columns respectively for supporting the stack of articles therein and biasing the latter upwardly toward the top of the column to dispose the uppermost article ofthe stack at the respective delivery station;

a shiftable delivery control structure at the delivery station of each column respectively and operable to eject the uppermost article thereof from the station;

a shiftable member common to all of said structures; and

means for selectively coupling any one of said structures with said member to operate the selected structure and eject the uppermost article of the selected column upon actuation of said member: said plurality ofcolumns being arranged in a row, said member including a rotatable shaft extending along said row of columns adjacent the delivery stations thereof,

said structures being rotatably mounted on said shaft and each normally engaging the uppermost article of the respective stack to retain the uppermost article in the column, there being a drive arm for each of said structures respectively rigid with said shaft and extending therefrom,

said selective coupling means including anelectrically responsive device carried by each of said structures respectively, and consumer actuatable selector switch means coupled with said devices for selectively operating the latter,

each of said devices having a shiftable component and means for shifting said component, upon operation of the device, to a position for engagement by the corresponding arm to interconnect the respective structure and said shaft for movement in unison, and

means coupled with said shaft for oscillating the latter to shift the arms in one direction to engage one of the arms with the component of a selected device to move the corresponding structure out of engagement with the respective uppermost article to release the latter, and to thereafter shift the arms in the opposite direction to return the structure corresponding to the previously released uppermost article to its normal disposition and eject the released article from the respective delivery station. 8. ln apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and a stop normally spaced above the uppermost article of each column respectively to permit limited upward movement of the stack thereof when the uppermost article is released by the respective control structure, each of said structures having an element overlying the respective uppermost article, when the structure is in its normal disposition, to effect the retaining thereof, and engageable with the uppermost article to eject the latter after upward movement of the stack to the respective stop upon oscillation of the structure with said shaft.

9. ln apparatus as claimed in claim 7, said oscillating means including spring means connected with said shaft and power means responsiveto actuation of said selector switch means for rotating the shaft in a sense to load the spring means and effect said shifting the arms in said one direction, said power means, upon deactivation thereof, releasing said spring means to rotate the shaft in the opposite sense to effect said shifting of the arms in the opposite direction. 

